Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Joy v. Satisfaction
When I was younger, I was in hot pursuit of JOY. I was uninterested in pedestrian happiness or mere satisfaction. I wanted intensity, ecstasy—and greedier still, I wanted to live at that pitch: whirling from one event to another in a manic state of joie de vivre.
Now, of course, I realize that it was unrealistic to think I could live at that pitch forever. The true joy of adulthood is learning to appreciate the simple things: the newspaper on Sunday morning, hot coffee, sunshine. And being, at heart, a total control freak, I’ve learned that by embracing the quotidian pleasures of life, I actually have much more control over my happiness.
Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been keeping a gratitude list. Every night (almost every night) before I go to sleep, I jot down five things I’m grateful for. Looking back, I see that mostly what I’m grateful for are people and food. Pretty basic, right? When I’ve seen a friend and had a chance to connect, I’m grateful. I’m frequently grateful for members of my family. And sometimes I’m grateful for soup. Or popcorn.
Being organized is one way of arranging my life to make sure I have those mini-pleasures that I cherish. Whether it’s blocking out time to make that soup or scheduling lunch with my best friend, good things don’t just happen—you have to make time for them, plan them and follow through.
What are the simple things that give you pleasure? Do you make time for them and make sure they happen? In the end, there’s a lot of joy in what my husband and I like to call our “little nonprofit,” and when I sit down with the Sunday Times and a hot cup of coffee on Sunday morning, I am pretty darn satisfied.